“You can never take too much care over the choice of your shoes.” Christian Dior

He went on to say that although many women think they are unimportant the real proof of an elegant woman is what she is wearing on her feet. I wholly and completely agree with Mr Dior , or at least with the part regarding the importance of the shoe rather than the elegance of the lady. Shoes, and by shoes I mean anything worn on the foot, are as essential to your look as bubbles are to champagne. Shoes do so much more than merely protect your feet, they are an opportunity to create illusions, to reinvent your body in a way that no amount of dieting can. Heels can add inches instantly making you taller and giving you, by extension, a longer leaner look. The same goes for the pointy toe box; not only does it vamp up an outfit, the point also has the effect of elongating the leg thereby once again giving an overall longer leaner look. Not that I’m saying we are all always aiming for the longer leaner look but for someone who is on the shorter side of 5” 6′ a little altitude is very useful now and again, particularly now that my eldest can look me directly in the eye whilst giving me attitude, and he is only 11. But apart from the vertical vantages of the vertiginous stiletto, the right footwear is in many ways where a person’s individual personality is most revealed. Edgy, trendy,funky, practical, classy, sporty, conservative all these adjectives find their perfect home in a person’s choice of footwear. Want to learn something about a new neighbour, or colleague, look closely at what they put on their feet. And yes sometimes we fit into many boxes and our professions dictate a shoe selection, but even within such parameters you can discern what lurks beneath. And then of course there is the aesthetic of the shoe, some are more beautiful than others, some suit certain clothes better than others. But what Mr Dior is advising us to remember is that the wrong shoe can destroy all the effort and hard work you have put into the rest of your ensemble. Now I don’t believe there are strict rules, that this shoe belongs with that coat and nothing else, but what I do believe is that you should put as much thought into your shoe choice as you put into everything else. To bear in mind what the different heel heights, the different toe boxes, the different line of the shoes can do to whatever you are wearing. That colour plays a vital role, that even just a slight variant in shade is enough to either sink or swim the overall look. That yes, they are called killer heels for for reason but sometimes for those few treasured moments in the spotlight the pain is oh so worth it. Just being the flats for later! That even without a horse, or never having ridden a horse, the cowboy boot is the perfect accessory to the flighty feminine floral dress. That a contrasting colour is the perfect antidote to a plain garment, especially the LBD. So here’s to shoes in all their varied glory whether they change your destiny a la Cinderella or simply change an outfit from ordinary to extraordinary.